The Gumby Specials That Dare Not Say Art Adams’ Name

Arthur Adams has drawn a number of comics over the years featuring American children’s characters Gumby and Pokey. And last week saw the publication for the bizarrely named Gumby’s Spring Special, collecting his Winter and Summer Specials, written by the Flaming Carrot’s Bob Burden, now published by Gumby Comics/Wildcard Ink.

But there’s a glitch.

There are stickers on the front and back of the book. Removing the Spring Specials sticker reveals that the books were printed as Gumby’s Arthur Adams’ Specials. Other stickers block out Arthur Adam’s signatures on book.

Why the reticence?

I understand that while the publisher had the rights to the books, Arthur Adams didn’t want to have anything to do with the publisher and took action to keep his name off the cover of the book at least. And the publisher took until the last second to blink.

The publisher? Gumby Comics/Wildcard Ink. That’s Mel Smith’s company. Not the British comedian, but the comics writer/publisher who is… shall we say known to Bleeding Cool.

And with whom I have enjoyed a number of email exchanges that have included legal threats and promises that I will be ruined in the comics industry.

Basically, if that’s anything to go by, I can see why Art may not have wanted his name on the books.

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